TnBama

It is kind of difficult to have a very good ride when it is this hot. It's hard to get in the time I need o the bike without having cramping or overheating.

Anyone have any special tricks? I am drinking lots of the low cal Gatoraide. I am going to try adding a roll of those Cliff Shot Blocks thinks in my jersy and swallowing one every 20- 30 minutes.

Sport Legs pills seem to be helping some as well.

RUOkie

For longer rides leave the house by 6:30am. Only do shorter training rides after work, higher intensity but no more than an hour.

vw addict

swim instead

Velo Gator

I wish I knew. It's killing me.

TnBama

I wish I could, but I have to be at work starting at 6:30. Middle of the afternoon rides for me! I like to be in bed early so I can get up early.

vw addict

Have you tried HGH and EPO? But seriously, hydration is a way of life. You don't want to be playing catch up while on the bike.

ciocc_cat

I live in south Louisiana (i.e., high heat + high humidity). My options are ride EARLY in the morning or train in air-conditioned comfort when it is more convenient. Needless to say, my wind trainer gets a lot of use in hot weather . . .

Aspenator

You can buy a years worth of the ingredients in sports legs, for what you spend on one month worth. H

chadwick

I think the real answer is a summer home in Colorado, or maybe Washington.

Phil85207

Here in Arizona it's been over 100 for months. I do between 200 and 300 miles a week even through the heat. It's all in conditioning for it. You must leave early enough to get in the miles you need to before it gets to hot. For me that means between 3 and 4 AM leave time depending on which route I will be taking. It also means paying special attention to electrolytes and not just hydration. Electrolytes are the stuff that enables cells and nerves to communicate with each other among other functions. It is believed that cramps are directly linked to electrolyte depletion. The other thing is don't expect to have the same times you have when it's cooler. It's not gonna happen. When your core temp goes up, performance goes down. Its just something we mortals have to live with. I hope this helps. Lots more info on the net. You may want to try Hammer.com Good luck.

Eclectus

It's been really hot here too. Going out early, riding in Colo, NW, Cali coastal or high mountains, these are all options. For example, current temperature in Eureka CA is 64. Once you cross the mountains, it's basically 95-100 in the Sacto Valley. You can find nice sections in between where it's in the 80s, dry heat.

San Diego right now is 78. 50 mile east iat Borrego springs, it's a 101.

If you go to AZ, it's 72 in Flagstaff, 103 in Phoenix. That's why you get a bike rack. It's a lot cooler in the Ponderosa pine belt at 7000 feet than in the Sonora Desert.

San Diego is the best place for year-round riding. If it gets really hot, which doesn't happen very often, haul your bike up to Julian and Cuyamaca State Park. In winter, it doesn't get all that cold.

paste_me

Dude I woke up to ride at 6:00 today and it was already 90 outside, by the time I was 10 miles into my ride, it was 101.

This **** sucks.

worrynot

I live in San Antonio and commute 20 miles each way - 3 days a week, my suggestions for dealing with hot weather:

Prepare -
Drink lots of water during the day, ensure you also adding a small dose of electrolytes to one of your drinks
Climatize yourself to hot weather over a few weeks
take magnesium and potassium supplements

Ride -
Use a headband, this will hold moisture and cool you down as you ride
Carry water with ice and another with a mix (use ice in both)
while riding keep your jersey zipped (a sweaty wet jersey will keep you hydrated and cool) (if you use a hydration system, make sure you are getting electrolytes, too much water will flush all your minerals)
take it easy (small ring), pull over and pee if you can (cools you down)
** if you feel too hot
breath in through your nose and out your mouth a few times
pour water on your head and your upper body
** listen to your body, if your skin gets dry, your sweating too much, or dizzy - Pull over in the shade.. cool down, don't push it!
Recovery
electrolytes and two 2 liters of water
if you have a headache, you were running too hot and need 1-2 days to recover

Hope this helps!!

Joemess

IT has been upper 90's with 100% humidity here for a month or so (south carolina) and I think I have finally gotten used to it. I pretty much rely on LOTs of water during ride. I would imagine it is about 1 bottle per 15 miles plus one before I leave the house. My typical ride it between 40-60 miles so I look like a camel when I leave with 2 bottles on my fram and two behind the seat. I try to ride early, however sometimes I end up going in the afternoon. On those days I just grin and bear it. Now that school is getting ready to begin, I will be able to ride to work early in the AM but the afternoon home with be hot...

I try to eat a shotblok every 20 minutes or so (1 serving spread out over an hour). Unlike the poster above, I prefer to ride in the heat with my jersey unzipped.

Falls coming. I cannot wait.

Eclectus

I've ridden at 107 F, and -4F. Mostly, I really prefer 65-80 F. Actually 75-80 F.

chadwick

On today's ~5 hour ride I went through 8 bottles of drink. ugh!

clarkgriswold

Endurolytes.

Did 3 centuries+ last month in and around Houston plus several other rides to hit 503 miles.
Included one 70 mile ride where we STARTED at 1:30 pm, intentionally.

I tried the cliff shot blocks, they were cool too but I find endurolytes easier to carry.

Eclectus

I think Texas really sucks this time of year. I rode Houston in March-April a couple years. It was really nice. This time of year, it's too f***ing hot.

doctor j

+1. They keep cramps away and keep the muscles firing.

Cateye

The highs have been triple digits here for two weeks. I have to ride in the afternoon so my rides have been shorter but higher intensity rides. 1.5 hours is the longest I can go......it was 104 degrees yesterday. It is damn hot!

RiPHRaPH

Make sure you are peeing every 3 hours OFF the bike.
Pour water on you during ride to cool down, not just drinking it
like starting with really cold weather, you need a 15 to 20 warm up of HR at/below 120 to get yourself assimilated
stop sitting in cold air conditioning all day.

cshell

95 - 105 here in VA, too. Hottest 60 days on record, I hear.

This is why I've put off running all together and only bike during July and August. At least on the bike there's a breeze most of the time.

Just ride and be thankful there's a breeze.

dstrong 

21 posts and not one single HTFU? BF is slipping.

cshell

Htfu

JimmyJars

I miss the 30F-50F degree weather. Riding in 100F+ every day is getting really old.